August 2018 Edition Issue No. 1
Farmlands Co-operative – growing your business.
Growing success for our shareholders It is often said that the only thing that is constant is change. This is no less relevant for those involved in New Zealand’s primary sector. We see constant change in the form of seasonal weather, annual weather patterns, market demand, bio-security risks, land availability and legislative changes, to name just a few. On reflecting on this, it appears that survival and success are very much dependent on how we proactively respond to such changes. Darwin stated that “it is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change”. In the spirit of embracing change, this publication – which was previously titled Hort Focus – is now called Growing Success. Why the change? It reflects our fresh focus and approach to our business. Like the horticulture industry, Farmlands has also been proactively changing in ways that will strengthen us and our shareholders’ interests well into the future. We have developed a new, grower focused team in Hawke’s Bay. Mike Annand, who joined our team late last year and was previously the Operations Manager at Freshco, is now managing our Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne field teams. Mike is positively influencing our approach to the horticulture sector and what we can provide to our shareholders. Our approach is maturing and remains focused on sustainable business returns for our shareholders – their future success is at the centre of everything we do. While controlling input costs is clearly important for growers, we believe that a greater influence on profitability is the management of crops to optimise yield, quality, pack out, market access and therefore provide greater orchard gate returns. In responding to change ourselves, Farmlands is future proofing our entire business through a major transformation programme
known as Braveheart. This programme is completely transforming how we use technology, the effectiveness of our systems and processes and will greatly improve how we serve our shareholders in future. To this end, we have engaged Microsoft to help us achieve our goal of becoming New Zealand’s greatest agri-business provider. As we approach another growing year which, in the context of constant change, will likely be different in some ways from all others you’ve experienced, we wish you a rewarding and profitable season ahead.
Mark Daniels General Manager – Farmlands Horticulture
The key for hydroponic growers Farmlands is now the New Zealand distributor for the Besgrow brand coir Gropacs and Grobags. Farmlands is receiving fantastic feedback about this consistently high quality growing media from our hydroponic grower shareholders. Coir is a 100 percent natural and renewable resource derived from the husk and pith of coconuts. Farmlands and Besgrow are primarily focused on supplying high quality, environmentallysafe coir substrates to growers nationwide. The Besgrow brand is a highly regarded in both New Zealand and Australia. The Sri Lankan coir manufacturer has been successfully operating worldwide since its inception in 1997, with a reputation second to none. Over the years, Besgrow has been immensely successful in introducing a wide range of coir products to growers around the world. Besgrow’s consistently high quality coupled with extremely reliable delivery and customer support has assisted growers to achieve consistently higher productivity in their hydroponic growing systems. There are several grades of product developed specially for the Gropacs and Grobags that are tailored for specific crop management.
Besgrow Grobags and Gropacs |
Each has its own benefits for a wide range of plants dependent on the growers’ requirements for vegetative or generative growth. The Besgrow Gropacs and Grobags can be tailored to individual customer specifications allowing the grower to have a product that suits their growing system. A key attribute of Besgrow Coir is the high air-holding capacity, which ensures good drainage and ease of crop management. The unique air-water ratio allows for easy rooting and an even distribution of roots throughout the substrate. Besgrow Crush and Profit Coir (washed) are produced from whole raw coconut husks, which are cut into medium size chips then crushed. This grade of coir is an excellent at providing growers with greater control in their greenhouses. These grades are ideal for growing a wide range of hydroponic crops such as tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers and aubergines. Besgrow Classic Coir is a high quality, versatile growing substrate produced from the pith of coconut husks. Classic Coir’s fine grade makes it ideal medium for growing strawberries, as well as a range of vegetables and flower crops. The finest grade of coir, the classic grade has consistently excellent air and drainage attributes. If you’re a grower wanting consistently high quality coir and reliability of supply, contact your local Farmlands Technical Advisor for information about Besgrow Grobags and Gropacs options. Article supplied by Besgrow and Farmlands.
| Besgrow Gropacs in the greenhouse.
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August 2018 Edition
Step up your sulphur spray programme this year Good news for growers planning protectant sulphur sprays for the coming season – premium quality Microthiol Disperss is now available exclusively from Farmlands. The well-known wettable sulphur fungicide combines easy mixing, improved suspension, more consistent coverage and greater surface contact for control of powdery mildew in grapes and apples.
“The granules disperse rapidly in water, so the sulphur stays in suspension longer than standard compounds, with 80 percent remaining suspended after 1 hour of standing,” he says. Microthiol Disperss also re-suspends readily. As with all protectant fungicide treatments, coverage is key. The more consistent the coverage, the higher the level of protection from disease infection.
Approved by BioGro for use on organic crops, Microthiol Disperss is also labelled for control of erinium mite in grapes, rust in most stonefruit, powdery mildew in tamarillos and powdery mildew and rust in range of vegetables.
“In this case, micro-fine sulphur particles ensure very even coverage and greater surface contact than some other formulations and that’s what makes Microthiol Disperss so effective against powdery mildew and rust,” Alan says.
Nufarm Development Manager, Alan Cliffe says thanks to advanced formulation technology, it provides excellent efficacy against targeted diseases and mites. Plus, for those handling and applying the product, there’s also less dust to worry about than standard sulphur formulations and less chance of it settling out to the bottom of the spray tank. Spray nozzle blockages are less likely, too.
The result is a reliable, cost effective resistance management partner particularly for grape growers who are rotating their fungicides to slow the development of resistant powdery mildew.
“Microthiol Disperss has a well-earned reputation for both quality and performance. Sulphur sprays are definitely not all created equal and this is an example of what a difference formulation can make,” Alan says. The patented micronising process used in manufacturing Microthiol ensures uniform, dispersible granules, which consist of very finely ground sulphur particles with an average size of 3 microns.
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Microthiol Disperss contains 800g/kg sulphur and comes in 15kg packs. Recommended rates for grapes are 150-300g/100L water, applied at 10-14 day intervals from bud-swell until 6 weeks before harvest. It should not be used in combination with oils, or formulations containing oils, or used within 21 days of an oil application. It is compatible with most other formulations of fungicides and insecticides. If you’d like to use Microthiol Disperss to step up your sulphur spray programme this season, talk your local Farmlands Technical Advisor today. Article supplied by Nufarm.
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The Microthiol Disperss granules disperse rapidly in water. |
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The importance of boron for horticultural crops Leaf development, flowering and fruit set are all wellknown to be affected by boron levels, as is the strength and quality of the fruit itself. Higher boron levels translate to higher calcium levels in the fruit. This in turn increases the strength of the skin, the size and the form of the fruit and their storage life. These same parameters apply equally be it an apple tree, a grape vine, a pine tree, or a head of broccoli. Traditionally, the most commonly used boron fertilisers in horticulture have been sodium borates (e.g. borax, boric acid, DOT, or ulexite), with boron contents ranging from approximately 10 to 21 percent. However, due to the high solubility of sodium borates, it is often difficult to maintain consistent soil boron concentrations. Therefore, sodium borate fertilisers are typically applied frequently and in small quantities to avoid toxicity. OrganiBORÂŽ is a naturally occurring borate mineral mined high in the Andes of Argentina and contains a rare mixture of magnesium and calcium borate. Unlike sodium borates, OrganiBOR is not highly soluble and therefore releases boron slowly into the soil. The rate of boron release is often very similar to the boron uptake rate of many plants. OrganiBOR can therefore be applied at higher rates than the traditional boron fertilisers and will persist in the soil without the risk of boron toxicity. One application of OrganiBOR can last anywhere between 2 and 5 years depending on the crop, soil type and climatic conditions. The use of OrganiBOR, with its 2-4mm chip size, is simple and cost effective for growers. OrganiBOR is certified for organic use and is suitable for grapes, apples, avocados, potatoes, tomatoes and almost all other crops grown commercially in New Zealand. As more sustainable, effective and economical methods are sought for managing crops, products such as OrganiBOR are becoming more widely used. For more information regarding OrganiBOR, please contact your local Farmlands Technical Advisor, or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Alternatively, visit www.organibor.co.nz
| Above - Avocado crops; Left - OrganiBOR product range.
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August 2018 Edition
New botanical-based fungicide for sclerotinia control in kiwifruit The challenge of producing high quality export fruit with nil residues – combined with increasing demand for sprays with favourable environmental and safety profiles – is leading to greater interest in natural or biological-based products to replace, or complement, conventional crop protection products.
for export. Fungicide applications over the pre-flower and flowering period are critical if conditions are conducive to disease. With the introduction of Timorex Gold, a programme of Luna® Privilege applied immediately pre-flower, followed by Timorex Gold over flowering, can provide effective sclerotinia control with no residues at harvest.
The introduction of Timorex Gold® is a perfect example of the right product at the right time for kiwifruit growers to replace iprodione (Rovral®), which is no longer an option for sclerotinia control in the Zespri Crop Protection Standard.
Up to two sprays of Timorex Gold can be applied to kiwifruit from early flowering to petal-fall (fruit set). A use rate of 100ml per 100 litres of water should be used, applying 1,500 litres of water per hectare to deliver 1.5 litres of Timorex Gold per hectare, without excessive run-off.
Timorex Gold is an effective botanical-based biofungicide containing tea tree oil. Manufactured by Stockton (Israel) Ltd, who are leaders in the development of botanical-based solutions, Timorex Gold won the international AGROW Awards for “Best Biopesticide” in 2013. Currently sold in over 30 countries, Timorex Gold is marketed exclusively by Syngenta in many countries, including Australia and here in New Zealand. In New Zealand, Timorex Gold is registered by ACVM for the control of powdery mildew in grapes and sclerotinia in kiwifruit. The product has an excellent fit for growers, being exempt from market MRLs as it does not leave a synthetic chemical residue at harvest. It is not toxic to workers or beneficial insects (including honey bees) and is BioGro certified for use in organic production.
Trials commissioned by Syngenta to evaluate the crop safety and compatibility of Timorex Gold applied as a tank mix with commonly used products, showed no negative effects on fruit weight or fruit finish at harvest. This included the mixture of Timorex Gold plus Proclaim®, which is likely to be a popular tank mix applied to kiwifruit at the fruit set timing this season. Farmlands is keen to support the use of proven biological-based products such as Timorex Gold in grapes and kiwifruit and look forward discussing this exciting new product with you this season. For more information, please contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor. Article supplied by Syngenta New Zealand.
Sclerotinia infection over the flowering can affect pollination causing premature fruit drop or scarring on fruit, making them unsuitable
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Organic horticulture continues to grow
The organic sector is overwhelmed by passionate growers, all with a common goal to provide healthy produce, avoiding potentially harmful chemicals and working towards creating a sustainable environment for future generations. It takes special innovation to grow organically and there’s a distinct level of comradery within the sector, as farmers share their tried and tested techniques with one another. This is also made easier by the certified inputs for organics list increasing year on year, helping growers with certain aspects of disease management and plant nutrition. BioGro is New Zealand’s largest organic certifier and this year they celebrated reaching their 35th anniversary. Of the more than 750 licensees they certify, horticulture makes up almost a third of these customers. What’s even more astounding is that 55 percent of those customers have been certified for over 15 years – really showing the dedication and longevity amongst these growers. The New Zealand organic sector grew 30 percent from 2015 to $600million NZD, with horticulture continuing to be the highest value category with exports up 26 percent to $136m NZD*. Some momentous changes are set to take place within the organic sector, with an announcement from the Agricultural and Food Safety Minister, Damien O’Connor that the term “organic” will soon have a national regulation here in New Zealand. As an active contributor pushing for these changes, the government has finally come to realise the opportunities that come with organic farming. Factors include profitability, export opportunities and environmental benefits. It’s also evident that farmers learn to become more resilient against unforeseen circumstances by using approved best practices and appropriate technology that is environmentally friendly. There is a growing change to consumer behaviour and perception, as the nation continues to be more conscious
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about what they are putting into their bodies and how food is produced. They also want to know the origin of their food. There are several specialised stores that focus on stocking organic fruit and vegetables because of the high demand and now even nationwide supermarkets are creating designated areas to make it easier for their customers to find certified organic products. Close to 80 percent of New Zealanders purchase organic products at least fortnightly and 51 percent buy organic fresh food items with the majority stating that they choose these products to “look after my own and my family’s health”*. Over the years, BioGro has continued its drive to make the process of certification easier, allowing farmers to focus on their passion for farming. If you’re thinking of taking a step towards organics, BioGro has experts on-hand to answer any of your queries – give them a call today! Article supplied by BioGro. *Data from 2018 OANZ rganic Sector Report.
August 2018 Edition
Protecting spring growth against Psa Spring growth of kiwifruit is particularly susceptible to Psa-V infection. A protective spray programme is required using proven products with different modes of action to maximise disease control. It is difficult to control Psa in spring using copper alone, because it does not move in the plant to protect new growth and can be washed off by rainfall. The activity of copper can be enhanced significantly by the addition of Actigard, which acts systemically in the plant and is rainfast within 1 hour. Actigard is a plant activator (elicitor) that stimulates the plant’s natural self defence mechanism via a response known as Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR). It was one of the first products to receive a full ACVM claim and is an important tool in the toolbox for Psa control. Being more persistent than copper, it can help to reduce the number of copper sprays in the programme – but most importantly Actigard is systemic, so it moves with leaf expansion to protect new growth in the spring against Psa. Replicated trials designed to assess the impact of applying Actigard (plus copper) to healthy Hayward and Gold3 vines in spring have shown no negative effects on vigour, fruit size or quality. This includes applying up to three sprays of Actigard in spring with the addition of copper. In practice only two sprays of Actigard are likely to be used in spring and growers should avoid applying it to vines that are stressed (e.g. drought, excessive moisture, disease, wind, cold weather, etc.). If vines are under stress, growers should delay the application of Actigard until they have recovered. The best timing for the first Actigard in spring is when the first leaves reach approximately 25mm in diameter. This makes good use of the systemic activity of Actigard to protect new growth.
The second key timing is 1 to 7 days prior to flowering, as this provides systemic protection over the flowering period when other options for Psa control are limited and infection risk remains high. As it can take up to 7 days for Actigard to fully activate the plant, the addition of copper is required to provide immediate protection prior to high risk weather. A maximum of four applications of Actigard can be made per season at 21 day intervals, with a label rate of 200 grams per hectare. Do not spray flowers or fruit with Actigard, as this is likely to result in residues at harvest. It can be applied in mixture with Prodigy®, Movento®, or Luna Privilege® but multiple mixtures should always be tested for physical compatibility prior to use. The team of Farmlands Technical Advisors can give you advice on how to get the best results from Actigard and other products in your kiwifruit spray programme this season. Article supplied by Syngenta New Zealand.
Above - Kiwifruit pre-flower; Below - Kiwifruit 25mm leaf. |
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